Metu looks up to Emedolu ahead of Commonwealth Games
By Funke Bamawo | 30 June 2010 - 12:41am Delhi 2010 Nigeria
The fastest man in Nigeria, Obinna Metu, has said his top priority ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games is to go back to the drawing board after running a time of 10.25secs and 21.17secs in the 100m and 200m respectively in Calabar.
He also expressed optimism that his personal coach, Uche Emedolu would help in bringing out the best in him after watching him run at the championship.
The Anambra state athlete admitted that it was quite appalling that performances were still below standard at the just concluded Mobil Track and Field Championship which was held in Calabar over the weekend.
He noted: "I can say that this competition has made me know the level of my performance based on the training I have done and some of competitions I have gone to in Europe.
“So winning this Mobil again, was not a big deal but it will make me get ready for the African Athletics Championship and Commonwealth Games.”
“My coach, Uche Emedolu was here with me to watch me run. Now he knows my weeknesses better, so I belive we are going back home to the drawing board we are going to do a lot of preparations because we are actually going to face the world,” he added.
However, Metu was of the opinion that the absence of fastest man in Africa, Olusoji Fasuba at the Championship could have motivated the athletes to run faster and in the process set new records.
"I am very sorry for the injury Fasuba has, because he is a very good friend of mine, we stayed together, eat and drink, and I wish him a quick recovery. He could have made a difference anyway, you know he is a big star and his presence here could have improved standards.
"But by the time he comes back next year, he should try and improve on his time because in Nigeria now, sprint is going down. We need people that would come to improve on the present time.
“Infact, we should be running 10.1secs so that we can groom up the country’s contingent to the African athletics championship and Commonwealth Games.” he added.
Metu further expressed bitterness at the porous organisation put in place by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) noting that besides organising competitions of this magnitude, the AFN should ensure it calls athletes to camp early.
"You know it is long that Nigeria picked up enough medals in the competitions. They need to call athletes to camp early, when we train together we are always better off.
“They have organised the Mobil tracks and they have seen results, It’s now left to the leaders to sort it out, It’s left for the leaders to know why track and field is not moving forward in Nigeria,” he said.